torta fritta
savory fried dough
This tasty snack is nice on its own, but even better with a selection of salamis and sliced cured meats, such as prosciutto, salame di Felino, culatello and coppa.
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup whole milk
- 5 to 5½ cups all-purpose unbleached flour
- 2½ teaspoons instant yeast
- ¾ teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- peanut oil or lard for frying
Instructions
In a small saucepan, combine milk and 1⅓ cups water. Heat to 110º or until warm to touch; remove from heat.
In a large bowl, combine 5 cups of the flour, yeast and salt; make a well. Add olive oil and warm milk mixture and, using a wooden spoon, stir until dough just starts to form. Turn out onto a well-floured surface and knead until soft and elastic, adding more flour by the tablespoon as needed to keep dough from being too sticky, about 15 minutes. Transfer dough to a clean bowl, cover with a clean dishtowel, and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.
Punch down dough and turn out onto a lightly-floured surface. Roll out to a ¼-inch thick rectangle, and cut into (about 50) 2- by- 3-inch rectangles, transferring cut pieces to a sheet of parchment paper with space between each piece.
Fill a deep saucepan with 1½ inches peanut oil and heat to 365º. Fry dough pieces in batches, turning them before they are halfway done, until puffed and golden brown on both sides, about 1½ minutes total. Using a slotted spoon, transfer torta frittas to paper towels in order to drain. Serve immediately.